Improvement in velocipede



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

DANIEL P. FLINT, OF NUECES COUNTY, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCIPEDE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 91,323, dated June 15, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, DANIEL P. FLINT, of the county of Nueces and State of Texas, have invented a new, useful, and Improved Mechanical Arrangement for Propelling Velocipedes or other machines in which only a given quantum or measure of power can be applied in a given mode-to wit, by foot-treadles; and l do hereby declare the following` to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, on which, at Figure 2, it is clearly shown.

My invention is particularly designed for use in connection with velocipedes that have three wheels; and its object ,in that relation is to allow of the use of a much larger drivingwheel than is compatible with the use of pedals that are placed directly on the crank pins or wrists, and to increase the power that can be applied to the propulsion of the machine by the feet of the driver, and thus the speed at which it may be driven 5 but my invention will be more quickly understood by referring to the drawing.

To cranks a a', provided with slots c c', loose arms or links are connected, at one of their ends, by wrist-pins t in such manner that, while the said pins may be secured firmly at any point in the said slot, the said arms will revolve freely around them. To the other end of the arms It foot-lever treadles j are secured by pivot-connections, as shown at lc, and provided with fulcra, that are secured in pendent arms m subtendin g from the frame DD in such manner that, while they (the lever-treadles) may vibrate thereupon sufficiently to carry the cranks ninety degrees around their orbits, the said fulcra will remain iixed in any given position at which they may be placed, but, while this is so, may yet be readily adjusted up and down the said pendent arms for a prescribed and limited space thereupon. Slots o aiford a simple means, and perhaps the best that can be devised, for making such adjustments, while the slots c c in the cranks provide for a corresponding adjustment of the length of crankA stroke. The object of such adjustment is to change the extent of the vibration or sweep of the treadle-levers, as well as the stroke or length of the cranks, accordingly as more or less power is required to be exerted, and to give relief to the rider by enabling him to change the range of the muscular action required to be exerted in driving the machine.

My invention, although designed for a special purpose, may obviously be usefully applied to a variety of other uses and in connection with a number of other machines.

The operation of my invention is effected by an alternate depression of the treadle-levers, the same being placed in opposite or reverse positions to each other, precisely as in the case of treadles that are connected to or fixed directly on the crank pins or wrists.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 'lzhe combination of crank-arms a a', provided with slots c c', with a pitman or link, h, and a lever-treadle, j, when the latter is provided with an adjustable fulcrum by means of a slotted pendent arm, m, and the several parts are constructed, arranged, and operated substantially as herein described, for the purpose set forth.

D. P. FLDIT. Witnesses:

H. N. J ENKINs, RUrUs R. RHODES. 

